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Monday, June 4, 2012

Ethics and the Language of Love

“How great
a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire.”

~James 3:5b-6a (NRSV)

Vilification: “to make
vicious and defamatory statements about.”

We have a lot to be thankful for,
living in a Judeo-Christian society. The whole world, give or take some regions,
is ruled by this Western philosophy for justice, righteousness, and equity. We
take for granted the role of advocacy in society, but we are all benefactors of
it. And we need such companionable constructs for living, given that, by our
humanity, we are, by sinful default, vilifiers.

Take the issue of same-sex
marriage. Each of us, if we are pressed, has a side on ethical issues like
this. The default Christian view is anti-same-sex marriage, which I by my
conscience support. But, having taken a side, my wariness must kick into gear
regarding potential for vilification, if I aim to please God.

The Conversion Of Thought To Words And
Actions

As thinking, feeling human
beings—having been endowed with the ability for rationality and reason—we
cannot help analyse the issues and determine our platform. There are but two
sides. Few arguments offer more than a black or white position.

Having considered thoughtfully our
position, we resolve our stance. That stance will take the shape of words and
actions.

It is here, however, that the key
juncture of grace must intercede.

Having taken a position, and, upon
the approach of those opposite, we have the unguarded default of vilification.
If we don’t watch our thoughts they will, at light-speed, convert to feelings
and then become words and actions; spears in the hands of unhappy natives.

Imagine having been commanded by
Jesus to love one another, and to treat each other as we would want to be
treated, and forgetting, instead vilifying; failing to love and succeeding in
the hurting.

Most especially, to an outside
world, Christians are seen as separatist and possibly hateful regarding
same-sex marriage issues and the like to begin with. It may not matter what we
say, we may already be seen as vilifiers. But, despite these misconceptions,
our goal should be to love and not vilify, by watching what we think, feel, say
and do.

Small fires set ablaze entire
forests.

***

We are but one undisciplined
moment from vilification: to make vicious and defamatory statements. We need
God because we need reminding that life is about love. No matter where the
pendulum swings on ethical issues, like same-sex marriage, we should guard
against vilifying those with opposing views. We should, instead, lace our
language with love.